Cyclone Civics, Iowa State University’s new nonpartisan civics education initiative, is hosting “Civics Across the Curriculum and Co-Curriculum,” a professional development conference for Iowa State faculty, administrators and staff, on Feb. 19 from noon – 4:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union.
The conference will provide an opportunity to receive input from both national experts and campus practitioners on ways to narrow gaps in civic literacy, skills and disposition among Iowa State students by weaving civic learning into the context of higher education.
The conference will begin with lunch and a keynote address by Frederick M. Lawrence, one of the nation’s leading experts on civil rights, free expression, bias crimes, and higher education law. Lawrence is a Distinguished Lecturer at the Georgetown Law Center and has previously served as president of Brandeis University, dean of the George Washington University Law School, and visiting professor and senior research scholar at Yale Law School. He is also secretary and CEO of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.
Following the keynote, attendees can choose from a set of breakout sessions lead by professionals from state and national organizations. The organizations include the Union of Concerned Scientists, an organization that advocates for science-based changes in public policy and corporate practices; the Lyceum Movement, an organization based in Des Moines that hosts events to bring people together for more productive public conversations; and Unify America, which brings people with disparate views together to problem-solve at the local level and beyond.
A second set of interactive breakout sessions will be facilitated by members of the Iowa State community, who will share examples of civic education efforts already in practice on campus in the classroom and in co-curricular settings.
Following the breakout sessions, attendees can participate in a 30-minute roundtable discussion to share ideas from the day’s sessions and their own experiences.
The conference will end with a 30-minute wrap-up discussion by Benjamin Withers, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Jason Keith, Iowa State University senior vice president and provost; and Karen M. Kedrowski, Cyclone Civics director and director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics.
“We’re excited to use this professional development conference as a moment of stocktaking, reflecting on our progress in fostering civic engagement, and charting an exciting path forward with the Cyclone Civics initiative at Iowa State University,” said Kelly B. Shaw, political science professor and Cyclone Civics associate director.
The conference schedule will be posted on the Cyclone Civics website by Feb. 3.
Registration for the conference, which is open to all Iowa State University faculty, staff and administrators, runs through Feb. 3.